Goal drought doesn’t frighten Flores

Quique Sanchez Flores: Not concerned by lack of goals

The Hornets, who face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday, have failed to find the net in four of their last five Barclays Premier League matches.

And with just one victory in eight, you could not blame Flores for fearing his side, newly-promoted from the Championship this season, may get dragged into a relegation battle.

While Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney have formed one of the best partnerships in the league – sharing 20 goals between them – only seven further goals have been added outside Watford’s front two.

Bournemouth and Norwich, also promoted from the Championship last term, have scored more times than the Hornets this season.

But speaking ahead of his side’s trip to Selhurst Park, Flores said: “I am not afraid about the goals. Our balance is zero and we have scored as many goals as we have conceded.

“Against Chelsea we had chances, and against Newcastle we created chances. Apart from the match against Tottenham we were creating the same number or more chances than our opponent.

“In these eight matches we maybe deserved to win two or three of them, but this is football. We played twice against Manchester City and Tottenham and once against Chelsea so we have to be realistic.

“We are positive and we always think we can beat every single opponent but to be honest this is the first year and we are building a team. Tottenham and City are working together with the same coach for years so we have to be calm and confident for the future.”

Watford, who are 10th in the table, make the short trip to Selhurst Park on Saturday to face a team in an equally disappointing run.

After an impressive start to the campaign, Palace, without the influential Yannick Bolasie through injury, have not won in the league for almost two months and have slumped to 12th.

Flores, whose side are seven points shy of the magic 40-point mark, added: “They are in the same situation as us. They are looking for a good run and they want to change the dynamic.

“They lost very good players – Bolasie is very important for them – but they want to recuperate a good run as soon as possible and they will think against Watford ‘this is a good opportunity’.

“But for us it is a good opportunity to play against Crystal Palace and if we win we go into the top half.

“I don’t want to create pressure for the players, but I would like to win because if we get the next three points we are very close to the objective and I am wishing that this moment is coming.”